ECB receive offers from NZC, CA to host England domestic games

London, April 25 (IANS) With England suspending all forms of professional cricket till July 1 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the board has received offers from their Australian and New Zealand counterparts, helping them host their domestic games — county as well as List A.

“We’ve had offers as far away as Australia and New Zealand. Those offers are on the table,” England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Tom Harrison told BBC Sport.

“I haven’t had anything from Abu Dhabi, but that’s not to say the offer hasn’t been made,” he added.

The ECB had previously announced that no cricket would be played until May 28 but that date has now been an extended in view of the prevailing situation getting worse in the United Kingdom.

Harrison also said the board was also thinking about hosting cricket in empty stadiums.

“Inevitably, behind closed doors does change the venue allocation and the mindset. It goes from taking the game around the country to give fans a chance to see England in their back yard. That shifts because there’s no-one seeing England play live at all,” he said.

“You can see what other sports are considering: allocating neutral venues for all matches and then playing in those. That’s the lens we’re putting on this. What’s the minimum number of grounds we need for our desired international schedule and how to cater for that,” he added.

The three-Test tour of West Indies to England – slated to be held in June — as well as the Indian women team’s tour of England — consisting of four ODIs and two T20Is from June 24 to July 9 — have been postponed.

The domestic season in England has also been delayed besides the nine rounds of county games that stands cancelled at the moment due to COVID-19 pandemic.

–IANS

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